System and method for wirelessly provisioning a mobile communication device

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for wirelessly provisioning a mobile communication device are provided. To provision the mobile communication device to operate with an electronic messaging system, a provisioning request message may be generated at the mobile communication device. The provisioning request message may include a wireless identification for identifying the mobile communication device in a wireless network. The provisioning request message may be transmitted from the mobile communication device to the electronic messaging system using a pre-established communication link. In response to detecting the provisioning request message, the electronic messaging system may be provisioned by storing the wireless identification for use in communicating with the mobile communication device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/017,560,filed on Dec. 20, 2004, which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/536,461, filed on Jan. 14, 2004, the entiredisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The technology described in this patent document relates generally tothe field of wireless communications. More particularly, the patentdocument describes a system and method for wirelessly provisioning amobile communication device.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Systems for sending and receiving electronic messages (email) using amobile communication device are known. However, before a mobilecommunication device may be used to send and receive email, the devicemust typically be provisioned with an electronic mail service.Provisioning is a general term that is commonly used in the field ofmobile communications in reference to the process by which servicesprovided by a service provider are managed.

The technology described in this patent document provides systems andmethods for wirelessly provisioning a mobile communication device, suchas a cellular telephone, a two-way paging device, a personal digitalassistant, or other such device. To provision the mobile communicationdevice to operate with an electronic messaging system, a provisioningrequest message may be generated at the mobile communication device. Theprovisioning request message may include a wireless identification foridentifying the mobile communication device in a wireless network. Theprovisioning request message may be transmitted from the mobilecommunication device to the electronic messaging system using apre-established communication link. In response to detecting theprovisioning request message, the electronic messaging system may beprovisioned by storing the wireless identification for use incommunicating with the mobile communication device.

In addition, a mobile communication device may be wirelessly provisionedto operate with an enterprise server. The enterprise server may beoperable to communicate with a wireless gateway over a computer networkto redirect electronic messages from an electronic mail (email) accountto the mobile communication device. A provisioning request message maybe generated at the mobile communication device that includes a wirelessidentification for identifying the mobile communication device in awireless network and also includes an email address identifying theemail account. The provisioning request message may be transmitted overthe wireless network to the wireless gateway. The email address may beused to transmit the provisioning request message to the email accountusing an email transfer protocol. The enterprise server may monitor theemail account to detect the provisioning request message, and inresponse to detecting the provisioning request message, may store thewireless identification for redirecting email to the mobilecommunication device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example system for redirectingelectronic messages to a mobile communication device;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example procedure forwirelessly provisioning a mobile communication device within the exampleredirection system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example provisioning request message;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example provisioning response message;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for wirelesslyprovisioning a mobile communication device; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example mobile communication device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference now to the drawing figures, FIG. 1 is a block diagram ofan example system 10 for redirecting electronic messages to a mobilecommunication device 20. The example redirection system 10 includes anenterprise server 12, a mail server 14, a storage medium 16 forelectronic messaging (email) account data, and a wireless gateway 18.Also illustrated are the mobile communication device 20, a wirelessnetwork 22, a wide area network (WAN) 24, a firewall 25, a computer 26,and one or more other electronic messaging systems 28.

The mail server 14 may include electronic messaging software executingon a computer within a local area computer network (LAN). The mailserver 14 is coupled to local network devices 12, 16, 26 via the LAN,and is coupled to remote network devices 18, 28 via the WAN 24. The LANand WAN 24 may be separated by a firewall 25.

The mail server 14 maintains an electronic mail (email) account withinthe email account database 16 for each computer 26 in the LAN. The emailaccount database 16 may be one or more storage devices coupled to themail server 14, and may be included within the same network device asthe mail server 14 or in one or more separate devices within the LAN.The computer 26 may be one of a plurality of computers (e.g., personalcomputers, terminals, laptop computers, or other processing devices)coupled to the mail server 14 via the LAN that execute electronicmessaging software to send and receive electronic messages (email) viathe mail server.

Electronic messages sent from the computer 26 are stored by the mailserver 14 in an outgoing message storage location (an “outbox”) within acorresponding email account 16. If the outgoing message is addressed toan email account within the LAN, then the mail server 14 delivers themessage to an incoming message storage location (an “inbox”) in theappropriate email account 16. If the outgoing message is addressed to anemail account in another electronic messaging system 28, however, thenthe message is delivered via the WAN 24. Similarly, incoming electronicmail (email) addressed to the email account 16 is received by the mailserver 14 and stored to the email account database 16 within theappropriate incoming message storage location (“inbox”). The incomingemail may then be retrieved from the email account 16 by the computer26, or may be automatically pushed to the computer 26 by the mail server14.

The enterprise server 12 may include electronic mail (email) redirectionsoftware executing on a computer within the LAN. The enterprise server12 is operational to redirect electronic mail messages (email) from theemail account 16 to the mobile communication device 20 and to placemessages sent from the mobile communication device 20 into the emailaccount 16 for delivery by the mail server 14. The enterprise server 12stores mobile device information, such as a wireless identification(e.g., a PIN), used to communicate with the mobile communication device20. (See, e.g., FIGS. 2-5). The enterprise server 12 may, for example,communicate with the mobile communication device 20 using a directTCP/IP level connection 27 with the wireless gateway 18, which providesan interface between the WAN 24 and the wireless network 22.

When an electronic message (email) is received in the inbox of the emailaccount 16, the email is detected by the enterprise server 12, and acopy of the message and any necessary mobile device information are sentover the WAN 24 to the wireless gateway 18. For example, the enterpriseserver 12 may encapsulate a copy of the message into one or more datapackets along with a wireless identification (e.g., a PIN) for themobile communication device 20, and transmit the data packet(s) to thewireless gateway 18 over a direct TCP/IP level connection 27. Thewireless gateway 18 may then use the wireless identification and/orother mobile device information to transmit the data packets(s)containing the electronic message over the wireless network 22 to themobile communication device 20.

Electronic messages sent from the mobile communication device 20 may beencapsulated into one or more data packets along with a networkidentification for the enterprise server 12 and are then transmittedover the wireless network 22 to the wireless gateway 18. The wirelessgateway 18 may use the network identification for the enterprise server12 to forward the data packet(s) over the WAN 24 to the enterpriseserver 12, preferably via a direct TCP/IP level connection 27. Uponreceiving the data packet(s) from the wireless gateway 18, theenterprise server 12 places the enclosed electronic message (email) intothe outbox of the associated email account 16. The mail server 14 thendetects the email in the outbox and delivers the message, as describedabove.

In addition, security may be maintained outside of the firewall 25 byencrypting all electronic messages sent between the enterprise server 12and the mobile communication device 20. For instance, an electronicmessage to be redirected to the mobile communication device 20 may beencrypted and compressed by the enterprise server 12, and the encryptedmessage may then be encapsulated into one or more data packets fordelivery to the mobile communication device 20. To maintain security,the electronic message may remain encrypted over the entirecommunication path 18, 22, 24, 27 from the enterprise server 12 to themobile communication device 20. Similarly, electronic messages sent fromthe mobile communication device 20 may be encrypted and compressed bythe mobile communication device 20 before being packetized andtransmitted to the enterprise server 12, and may remain encrypted overthe entire communication path 18, 22, 24, 27 from the mobilecommunication device 20 to the enterprise server 12.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example system 30 forwirelessly provisioning a mobile communication device 20 within theexample redirection system 10 of FIG. 1. The illustrated system 30 may,for example, be used to provision a new mobile communication device 20to operate with the enterprise server 12. The provisioning procedure 30is initiated by the mobile communication device 20 by sending aprovisioning request message 32 in the form of an electronic mail(email) message addressed to the email account 16 from which email is tobe redirected.

An example provisioning request message 32 is illustrated in FIG. 3. Asillustrated, the body of the provisioning request message 32 may includea wireless identification 42, such as a PIN, and a password 44. Thewireless identification 42 may, for example, be automatically entered bythe mobile communication device 20 or may be manually entered by adevice user. The password 44 is preferably entered by the device user toensure that the provisioning request message 32 is from a valid mobilecommunication device 20. The password 44 may, for instance, be obtainedby contacting a system administrator 35 for the enterprise server 12,may be provided when the mobile communication device 20 is purchased, ormay be obtained using some other secure means. In addition to thewireless identification 42 and password 44, the provisioning requestmessage 32 also includes a provisioning request indicator 46. Theprovisioning request indicator 46 may, for example, be a pre-determinedword or phrase (e.g., “provisioning request”) included in the subjectfield of the provisioning request message 32.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the provisioning request message 32 istransmitted from the mobile communication device 20 to the wirelessgateway 18 via the wireless network 22. The wireless gateway 18 thenforwards the provisioning request message 32 to the electronic mailaccount 16 using an email transfer protocol, such as SMTP (simple mailtransfer protocol).

The enterprise server 12 monitors the email accounts 16 for receivedelectronic messages that include the provisioning request indicator 46.For example, the enterprise server 12 may monitor the subject fields ofreceived emails for the phrase “provisioning request,” as illustrated inFIG. 3. Upon detecting a provisioning request message 32 in the inbox ofan email account 16, the enterprise server 12 verifies the password 44.If the password 44 is valid, then the enterprise server 12 provisionsitself by creating a redirection account for the mobile communicationdevice 20 and storing the wireless identification 42. In addition, theenterprise server 12 may enable communication with the mobilecommunication device 20 over a direct link 27, such as a direct TCP/IPlevel connection, by generating a provisioning response message 34 fordelivery to the mobile communication device 20.

An example provisioning response message 34 is illustrated in FIG. 4.The provisioning response message 34 is addressed with an email addressfor the mobile communication device 20 and includes a networkidentification 52 in the message body that may be used by the mobilecommunication device 20 to communicate with the enterprise server 12over the direct link 27. In addition, the provisioning response message34 may include a password 54 to verify the authenticity of the messageand a provisioning response indicator 56 to notify the mobilecommunication device 20 that the message 34 is a provisioning responsemessage.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the provisioning response message 34 may beplaced in the outbox of the email account 16 by the enterprise sever 12for delivery by the mail server 14. The mail server 14 delivers theprovisioning response message 34 to the wireless gateway 18 using anemail transfer protocol, such as SMTP. The mobile communication device20 may, for example, have an associated wireless email account that ismaintained by the wireless gateway 18 in order to send and receive emailusing the email transfer protocol. Upon receiving the provisioningresponse message 34 addressed to the mobile communication device 20, thewireless gateway 18 transmits the message 34 over the wireless network22 to the mobile communication device 20. The mobile communicationdevice 20 may then detect the provisioning response indicator 56 in thereceived message, verify the password 54, and provision itself with thenetwork identification 52 for the enterprise server. Electronic messagesmay then be transmitted between the enterprise server 12 and the mobilecommunication device 20, as described above with reference to FIG. 1.

The enterprise server 12 illustrated in FIG. 2 may include acommunication subsystem, a memory subsystem and a processing subsystem.The communication subsystem may be operable to communicate with thewireless gateway 18 via the WAN 24. The memory subsystem may be operableto store data and program information. The processing subsystem may beoperable to store and retrieve data in the memory subsystem and executeprograms stored in the memory subsystem, and to cause the communicationsubsystem to transmit and receive information over the WAN 24. Theenterprise server 12 may also include a provisioning program stored inthe memory subsystem and executed by the processing subsystem to performthe provisioning functions described above.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method 100 forwirelessly provisioning a mobile communication device. The method beginsat step 102. At step 104, a password is established. For example, apassword may be established by contacting a system administrator, usinginformation provided with the purchase of the mobile communicationdevice, or by some other secure means. Once a password is established, aprovisioning request message is generated by the mobile communicationdevice at step 106 that includes the password and also includes awireless identification identifying the mobile communication device in awireless network.

At step 108, the provisioning request message is transmitted from themobile communication device to a target electronic mail (email) accountusing an email transfer protocol, such as SMTP. The target email accountmay be an email account in a email redirection system that is to beassociated with the mobile communication device for the purpose ofredirecting email, as described above. At step 110, the provisioningrequest message is detected in the target email account. For example,the provisioning request message may be detected in the inbox of thetarget email account using a provisioning request identifier includedwithin the message.

At step 112, the password included in the provisioning request messageis verified. If the password is invalid, then the method ends at step120. Otherwise, if the password is valid, then the method proceeds tostep 114. At step 114, a provisioning response message is generated thatidentifies a network identification for an enterprise server. Theprovisioning response message is then transmitted to the mobilecommunication device at step 116 using an email transfer protocol, suchas SMTP. At step 118, the wireless network identification included inthe provisioning request message and the enterprise server networkidentification included in the provisioning response message are used toactivate a redirection service for the mobile communication device. Themethod then ends at step 120.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example mobile communicationdevice 20. The mobile communication device 20 includes a processingsubsystem 438, a communications subsystem 411, a short-rangecommunications subsystem 440, a memory subsystem 424, 426, and variousother device subsystems and/or software modules 442. The mobilecommunication device 20 also includes a user interface, which mayinclude a display 422, a keyboard 430, a speaker 432, a microphone 436,one or more auxiliary input/output devices 428, a serial port 430,and/or other user interface devices.

The processing subsystem 438 controls the overall operation of themobile communication device 20. Operating system software executed bythe processing subsystem 438 may be stored in a persistent store, suchas a flash memory 424, but may also be stored in other types of memorydevices in the memory subsystem, such as a read only memory (ROM) orsimilar storage element. In addition, system software, specific deviceapplications, or parts thereof, may be temporarily loaded into avolatile store, such as a random access memory (RAM) 426. Communicationsignals received by the mobile communication device 20 may also bestored to RAM 426.

The processing subsystem 438, in addition to its operating systemfunctions, enables execution of software applications 424 on the device20. A predetermined set of applications that control basic deviceoperations, such as data and voice communications, may be installed onthe device 20 during manufacture. In addition, a personal informationmanager (PIM) application, including an electronic messagingapplication, may be installed on the device. The PIM may, for example,be operable to organize and manage data items, such as email, calendarevents, voice mails, appointments, and task items. The PIM applicationmay also be operable to send and receive data items via the wirelessnetwork 22.

Communication functions, including data and voice communications, areperformed through the communication subsystem 411, and possibly throughthe short-range communications subsystem 440. The communicationsubsystem 411 includes a receiver 412, a transmitter 414 and one or moreantennas 416, 418. In addition, the communication subsystem 411 alsoincludes a processing module, such as a digital signal processor (DSP)420 or other processing device(s), and local oscillators (LOs) 413. Thespecific design and implementation of the communication subsystem 411 isdependent upon the communication network in which the mobilecommunication device 20 is intended to operate. For example, a mobilecommunication device 20 may include a communication subsystem 411designed to operate within the Mobitex™ mobile communication system, theDataTAC™ mobile communication system, a GSM network, a GPRS network, aUMTS network, and/or an EDGE network.

Network access requirements vary depending upon the type ofcommunication system. For example, in the Mobitex and DataTAC networks,mobile communication devices are registered on the network using aunique personal identification number or PIN associated with eachdevice. In UMTS and GSM/GPRS networks, however, network access isassociated with a subscriber or user of a device. A GPRS devicetherefore requires a subscriber identity module, commonly referred to asa SIM card, in order to operate on a GSM/GPRS network.

When required network registration or activation procedures have beencompleted, the mobile communication device 20 may send and receivecommunication signals over the communication network 22. Signalsreceived by the antenna 416 from the communication network 22 are routedto the receiver 412, which provides signal amplification, frequency downconversion, filtering, channel selection, etc., and may also provideanalog to digital conversion. Analog-to-digital conversion of thereceived signal allows the DSP to perform more complex communicationfunctions, such as demodulation and decoding. In a similar manner,signals to be transmitted to the network 22 are processed (e.g.,modulated and encoded) by the DSP 420 and are then provided to thetransmitter 414 for digital to analog conversion, frequency upconversion, filtering, amplification and transmission to thecommunication network 22 (or networks) via the antenna 418.

In addition to processing communication signals, the DSP 420 providesfor receiver 412 and transmitter 414 control. For example, gains appliedto communication signals in the receiver 412 and transmitter 414 may beadaptively controlled through automatic gain control algorithmsimplemented in the DSP 420.

In a data communication mode, a received signal, such as a text messageor web page download, is processed by the communication subsystem 411and input to the processing device 438. The received signal is thenfurther processed by the processing device 438 for output to a display422, or alternatively to some other auxiliary I/O device 428. A deviceuser may also compose data items, such as email messages, using akeyboard 438 and/or some other auxiliary I/O device 428, such as atouchpad, a rocker switch, a thumb-wheel, or some other type of inputdevice. The composed data items may then be transmitted over thecommunication network 22 via the communication subsystem 411.

In a voice communication mode, overall operation of the device issubstantially similar to the data communication mode, except thatreceived signals are output to a speaker 434, and signals fortransmission are generated by a microphone 436. Alternative voice oraudio I/O subsystems, such as a voice message recording subsystem, mayalso be implemented on the device 20. In addition, the display 422 mayalso be utilized in voice communication mode, for example to display theidentity of a calling party, the duration of a voice call, or othervoice call related information.

The short-range communications subsystem 440 enables communicationbetween the mobile communication device 20 and other proximate systemsor devices, which need not necessarily be similar devices. For example,the short-range communications subsystem 440 may include an infrareddevice and associated circuits and components, or a Bluetooth™communication module to provide for communication with similarly-enabledsystems and devices.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention,including the best mode, and also to enable a person skilled in the artto make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention mayinclude other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Forexample, other example embodiments may utilize a pre-existingcommunication channel other than electronic mail to communicate theprovisioning request and provisioning response messages between themobile communication device and the enterprise server. For example, theprovisioning request and provisioning response messages may be exchangedbetween the enterprise server and the mobile communication device usinga Bluetooth link, a Wi-Fi link (i.e., IEEE 802.11), an infrared link, atelephone link, or by some other pre-established communication link. Inaddition, the technology described herein may also be used to provisiona mobile communication device with systems other that a redirectionsystem as illustrate in FIG. 1. For example, a mobile communicationdevice may be wirelessly provisioned by exchanging provisioning requestand provisioning response messages over a pre-established communicationlink with an electronic mail system that does not include an enterpriseserver or redirection capabilities.

1. A method of provisioning a mobile communication device to operatewith an enterprise server, the enterprise server being operable tocommunicate with a wireless gateway over a computer network to redirectelectronic messages from an electronic mail (email) account to themobile communication device, comprising: generating a provisioningrequest message at the mobile communication device that includes awireless identification to identify the mobile communication device in awireless network and also includes an email address identifying theemail account; transmitting the provisioning request message over thewireless network to the wireless gateway; using the email address totransmit the provisioning request message to the email account using anemail transfer protocol; monitoring the email account to detect theprovisioning request message; and in response to detecting theprovisioning request message in the email account, configuring theenterprise server to include the wireless identification.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein the provisioning request message includes aprovisioning request identifier, and wherein the enterprise servermonitors the email account for a received email that include theprovisioning request identifier to detect the provisioning requestmessage.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the provisioning requestidentifier is included in a subject field of the provisioning requestmessage.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise server isoperable to communicate with the wireless gateway using a direct TCP/IPlevel connection over the computer network.
 5. A method of provisioninga mobile communication device to operate with an electronic messagingsystem, comprising: generating a provisioning request message at themobile communication device that includes a wireless identification foridentifying the mobile communication device in a wireless network;transmitting the provisioning request message from the mobilecommunication device to the electronic messaging system using apre-established communication link; detecting the provisioning requestmessage at the electronic messaging system; and in response to detectingthe provisioning request message, provisioning the electronic messagingsystem to include the wireless identification.
 6. The method of claim 5,wherein the pre-established communication link uses a simple mailtransfer protocol (SMTP) link.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein thepre-established communication link is a short-range wirelesscommunication link.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein thepre-established communication link is a Bluetooth communication link. 9.The method of claim 8, wherein the pre-established communication link isa Wi-Fi communication link.
 10. The method of claim 5, wherein thepre-established communication link is an infrared link.
 11. The methodof claim 5, wherein the pre-established communication link is atelephone link.
 12. In a system for provisioning a mobile communicationdevice to operate with an enterprise server, the enterprise server beingoperable to communicate with a wireless gateway over a computer networkto redirect electronic messages from an electronic mail (email) accountto the mobile communication device, the enterprise server comprising: acommunication subsystem operable to communicate over the computernetwork; a memory subsystem operable to store data and programinformation; a processing subsystem operable to store and retrieve datain the memory subsystem and execute programs stored in the memorysubsystem, and cause to the communication subsystem to transmit andreceive information over the computer network; and a provisioningprogram stored in the memory subsystem and executed by the processingsubsystem, the provisioning program being operable to cause theenterprise server to detect a provisioning request message in the emailaccount, the provisioning request message being sent from the mobilecommunication device to the email account over a pre-establishedcommunication channel and including a wireless identification foridentifying the mobile communication device in a wireless network, andthe provisioning program being further operable to store the wirelessidentification in the memory subsystem for use in redirecting electronicmessages from the email account to the mobile communication device. 13.The enterprise server of claim 12, wherein the pre-establishedcommunication channel uses a simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP). 14.The enterprise server of claim 13, wherein the provisioning requestmessage is an email addressed to the email account.
 15. In a system forprovisioning a mobile communication device to operate with an enterpriseserver, the enterprise server being operable to communicate with awireless gateway over a computer network to redirect electronic messagesfrom an electronic mail (email) account to the mobile communicationdevice, the mobile communication device comprising: a communicationsubsystem operable to communicate with the wireless gateway via awireless network; a memory subsystem operable to store data and programinformation; a processing subsystem operable to store and retrieve datain the memory subsystem and execute programs stored in the memorysubsystem, and to cause the communication subsystem to transmit andreceive information over the wireless network; and a provisioningprogram stored in the memory subsystem and executed by the processingsubsystem, the provisioning program being operable to cause the mobilecommunication device to detect a provisioning response message sent fromthe enterprise server over a pre-established communication channel andincluding a network identification for communicating with the enterpriseserver over the computer network, and provisioning program being furtheroperable to store the network identification in the memory subsystem foruse in communicating with the enterprise server.
 16. The mobilecommunication device of claim 15, wherein the pre-establishedcommunication channel uses a simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP).